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LOGAN, Utah – Idaho State was down four starters due to injury causing the Bengals to struggle in a 6-1 loss to Utah State, ranked No. 7 in the west region by the NSCAA, at the Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field Sunday afternoon.
Kiley Godfrey scored the lone goal for the Bengals 1:07 into the second half.
“Having four starters out it hurt,” said Head Coach
Allison Gibson. “That's the challenge of athletics. They have to be able to step up and fill their place and we obviously didn't do that today. Not having Allyssa (Kenney) or Ping (
Anna Pingree) in there, they hold the middle of the field. I had all three attack players in there and I didn't have a single defensive midfielder. They change the counter attack game, the air game and the tackle game.
“Having both of them out changes things drastically. Also not having Amanda out there, running her just a little to test her injury, there is a significant drop off. Then with Lia (Margolis) obviously with more experience and the ability to get forward hurt us,” said Gibson.
Utah State got on the scoreboard first 4:28 into the first period. Utah State's Natalie Norris scored her first goal of the season on a header off a corner kick served up by Kendra Pemberton. Pemberton scored her second goal of the season at the 7:22 mark also off a corner kick. Pemberton got her shot off eight yards out after collecting a rebound off an ISU defender.
Utah State's Shantel Flanary one-upped her teammate with a hat trick during the contest. Her first two goals were 1:45 seconds apart. Flanary's first goal of the game, her sixth of the season, was off a pass through defenders seven yards out. Jennifer Flynn and Lexie Morgan were credited with the assist.
Flanary's second goal was a head-to-head battle with a Bengal defender. Flanary got her foot on the ball as she slid to the ground. Her rocket shot found the back of the net at the 18:46 mark and was unassisted as the Bengal defender got a piece of the ball.
Utah State out-shot the Bengals 13-to-4 in the first period with five shots on goal to ISU's two. The Aggies led 4-0 at the break. Hutchings-Maloney was in goal for the Bengals during the first period and faced 13 shots. The sophomore had one save.
Maria Dela Cruz started in goal for the Bengals in the second half recording two saves and allowing one goal on a penalty kick in her 20:30 on field. Dela Cruz was later replaced by Hutchings-Maloney due to an injury.
Sophomore forward Godfrey's goal 1:07 into the second half was her first goal of the season, the fourth of her career. She buried the ball from 15 yards out off a cross from junior
Rachel Strawn. Strawn's assist was her second of the season and 11th of her career to tie the fifth best career record at Idaho State.
“Basically it was a personnel change,” said Gibson of the strategy behind the Bengals' goal. “Four people that we subbed let us down and so that the four that we put in did a good job at the start of the second half. I told them to forget about the score, we need to focus on preparing ourselves for the rest of our schedule.”
After ISU's goal Utah State responded with a penalty goal by Flanary for the hat trick at the 56:05 mark, 11:05 into the second period. Flanary scored by placing the ball to the top left corner.
Utah State scored its final goal of the game at the 74:17 mark. Flynn beat the Bengal defense to score her third goal of the game. Jade Tarver was credited with the assist.
Utah State finished the match out-shooting the Bengals 23-to-9 for the game. Strawn and
Laura Benson both led the Bengals with two shots with both of Strawn's on goal.
“We set the bar early in the season and I know what they are capable of and we've eased up from there,” said Gibson. “We have players right now that when they hit a bump in the road and they are looking for a way out, not a way through and that's a character test. We need that same mentality and same attitude we had when we were winning.”
Idaho State returns home to host New Mexico State on Friday, Sept. 16 at Davis Field at 4 p.m. The Bengals are 2-1 at home this season having only fallen to No. 21 Brigham Young.
“You've got
Taylor McBride, Madeline, Amanda for her few minutes,
Laura Benson, those kids go in and set the tone. Period. They work and work and work. We need the players around them to match that work ethic.”
Notes: There was a 10 minute delay of game to start the second half due to sprinklers. Idaho State's last loss to the Aggies was a 1-0 decision in 2007 at Utah State. The last time ISU gave up six goals was back-to-back 6-0 losses at Pepperdine and at No. 21 San Diego in 2008.
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